Caution urged after fatal, serious crashes plague Waikato roads

Police are reminding motorists to drive to the conditions with the weather deteriorating around the country today as people head home from holiday.

Waikato police are urging motorists to be cautious and courteous on the roads as the weather deteriorates with one person already killed so far this holiday weekend.

A person died in a car which crashed and rolled near Huntly last night, while another person is battling critical injuries in Waikato Hospital after their car and a bus collided yesterday on State Highway 39, west of Hamilton.

Senior Sergeant Mike Henwood said with throngs of holidaymakers due to make their way home today, he asked people to show a bit more courtesy to other road users, especially in the wet conditions.

"We need to be more cautious and courteous on the roads this Easter. Most crashes are caused by not driving to the conditions. With this being the first decent amount of rain in a while people need to be diligent with their following distances."

Henwood said the first serious crash saw one person critically injured after the car they were driving appeared to cross the centre line as they drove south on SH39, north of Ngahinapouri, just after 1pm.

The road was closed for several hours as the serious crash unit investigated.

Meanwhile, about 8.30pm yesterday the first fatality of the long weekend happened after a person lost control of their car on Hakarimata Rd, near Riverside Way, south of Huntly.

Henwood said the vehicle was heading south when it appeared to lose control on a corner and rolled before landing in a ditch.

He reminded motorists that the speed limit was not a target, it's a maximum.

"And with the rain people need to drive to the conditions."

Last year, seven people lost their lives on New Zealand roads over the Easter holiday period.

This death has been the first for the Easter holiday period this year - the holiday period officially ends at 6am on Tuesday.